Thousands of Britons gathered in parks, along the coast, and at popular lookout spots to observe the partial solar eclipse on the evening of August 12, 2026. With specialized eclipse glasses in high demand and selling out days in advance, many spectators turned to creative, albeit unconventional, methods to safely view the celestial event.
One popular improvised technique involved using a kitchen colander. By holding the colander with its back to the sun, viewers could observe distorted, crescent-shaped images of the sun projected onto a piece of paper held behind the sieve. This indirect viewing method creates hundreds of tiny images of the sun that gradually transform into crescents as the moon obscures more of the sun's disk.
Spectators were seen employing colanders in various London locations, including Brockwell Park, Parliament Hill, and Regents Park. Some also utilized homemade pinhole cameras, another safe indirect viewing method. The partial eclipse began shortly after 6 p.m. in parts of the UK, with maximum coverage occurring between approximately 7:05 p.m. and 7:13 p.m., depending on the specific location. The event concluded shortly after 8 p.m.
Dr. Megan Argo, an astrophysicist from the University of Lancaster, confirmed that indirect viewing methods, such as standing beneath a leafy tree or using a colander or pinhole camera, are safe alternatives when specialized eclipse glasses are unavailable. The shortage of certified eclipse glasses led to long queues as people tried to acquire the last available pairs.
The event also prompted concerns about potential disruptions, with large crowds gathering at prime viewing spots and warnings issued about distracted drivers potentially causing accidents as they looked towards the sky. This partial eclipse was the first visible over mainland Europe since 1999.